Electric switch



Nov. 29, 1927.,

AALBORG ET AL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Junes, 1921 A?! 22 as WITNESSES:

ATT'oRNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN AALBORG, 0F PITTSBURGH, AND ORA. A. COLBY, 0EIRWIN, EENNS'YL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS 'IO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC ANDMANUFACTURING CONE- IPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SlVITCH.

Application filed June 3, 1921.

Our-invention relates to electric switches and particularly to means formounting switches and the operating mechanisms therefor in co-operativerelation. I

One object of our invention is to provide a construction wherein theparts of the switch proper and the actuating means therefor, may be somounted in a housing as to be conveniently accessible for repairs or forthe removal of portions thereof without disturbing other parts of theapparatus.

Another object of our invention is to provide a switch box of improvedform for containing the apparatus.

Our invention is designed particularly for use in connection withmotor-operated snap switches and consists of a peculiar arrangement ofparts whereby they may be mounted within a relatively small housing andstill be conveniently accessible for renewals or repairs.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of anelectric switch and a housing therefor embodying our invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section,of the device of Fig. 1.

The switch is mounted within a box or housing that consists of a body orbase portion 3 that is provided with a hood or cover member 1. Theswitch box is provided with an opening that communicates with a conduitbushing 5 that is attached to the base portion 3 by screws 6. Asleeve-like lining member 7 is pressed into the opening referred to andhas its inner end flared to provide a smooth surface against which covered wires may liewithout danger of damage to the insulating coveringthereof. The base portion 3 is provided with perforated lugs 8 by meansof which it may be bolted to a supporting structure. and with a numherof upstanding lugs 9 upon which a switch base member 9a may rest.

Stationary contact members 10, 11, 12 and 13 are secured to the switchbase 9a and are adapted to be engaged by a bridging or movable contactmember 15 which is rotatably supported upon a shaft 16 that is actuatedby means of a spring 17. The spring is secured, at one of its ends, tothe bridging member 15 and at its other end, to the shaft 16.

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Serial no. erases.

The shaft 16 is rotatably supported in the switch base 9 and is providedwith a reduced extension 1% that extends into a recess in the base 3 ofthe switch box.

A. gear wheel 18 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 16 by means 01a nut 19 that has screw threaded engagement with the portion 16a of theshaft 16. The gear wheel 18 is driven through a pinion 20 that isattached to a gear wheel 21 and the latter is driven by a pinion 22 thatis attached to a 6 gear wheel 23. The gears and pinions 2021 and 2223are supported by screws 24 and 25, respectively, that engage tappedrecesses in the base member 3. V

The base member 8 of the casing is provided with bosses 28 and 2? towhich a relatively high-speed motor 29 may be secured by means of screws80 and 31.

The motor 29 is provided with an armature 511511 12 32 that carries apinion 84. The motor may be of any type common to devices of thischaracter and need not be described in detail.

When it is desired to operate the switch, the motor 29 is set in motion,thus driving the shaft 16 through the gears and pinions heretoforedescribed. The rotation of the shaft 16, by reason of the high speed ofthe motor, quickly places the spring 17 under su'liicient tension tocause the bridging member 15 to breal: engagement with the stationarycontact members with which it happens to be engaged, causing suchbridging member to snap into engagement with the other pair of contactmembers.

The cover member 4 is provided with a channel-like member 35 oilinsulating material that is secured thereto by means of rivets 37 andhas depending sides that extend downwardly past the live switch parts toinsulate such parts from the walls of the cover member 4 at points wherethey are adjacent to cover member. An insulating plate 36 serves toinsulate the live switch parts from the motor and is held in place bymeans of the screws 31 that clamp the bent over portion thereof to theupstanding lugs 27 of the base 3.

The switch base is secured to base member 3 of the box by means oi?screws 40. The cover member l is held in place by nuts 41 that engagethe threaded upper ends of bolts 31.

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It will be seen from the foregoing that, upon removal of the cover t andof the screws 40, the switch base 9 and the parts carried thereby may beremoved without disturbing the pinion 20 and the gear 21 or any of theother parts oi: the apparatus. Similarly, by removal of the screws 30,the motor 29 and its pinion 34. may be removed without disturbing thegear 23 or any of the other portions of the switch.

Furthermore it will be apparent that various portions of the switchparts, such as either the movable or the stationary contact members, maybe readily removed without disturbing the position of the switch in thebox; that the live parts of the switch are insulated from adjacent metalparts that would otherwise affect the functioning of the switch, andthat the parts occupy a minimum amount of space.

Various changes in detail and general arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in theaccompanying claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination, a switch box, a motor mounted therein and supportedby the bottom of the box, a switch mounted therein independently of themotor and also supported by the bottom of the box and trans missiongearing located in the space beneath the motor and the switch,connecting the motor and the switch and so disposed as to permit removalof either the switch and the motor independently of each other.

2. In a switch structure, a bottom member, a cover member, a pluralityof groups of supporting members mounted in the bottom member, a motormounted on one of the groups of supporting members, a switch structuremounted on another group of supporting members and a gear train forconnecting the motor with the switch structure, the gear train beingdisposed below the plane defined by the tops of the supporting members.

8. In a switch structure, an elongated bot; tom member, a cover member,a plurality of groups of supporting members mounted in the bottom memberlongitudinally thereof, a motor mounted on one oi the groups of supporting members, a switch structure mounted on another group ofsupporting members and a gear train for connecting the motor with theswitch structure, the gear train being disposed below the plane definedby the tops of the supporting members, whereby the motor and the switchstructure may be removed independently of each other.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 26thday of May,

CHRISTIAN AALBORG. ORA. A. COLBY.

